This document is Copyright (C) 2005 Jim Farrand. Feel free to use it for any purpose whatsoever.
There is NO WARRANTY WHATSOEVER as to the accuracy or usefulness of this document - if your shiny new laptop explodes or your house burns down, it's not my fault.
Revision $Id: index.html 346 2005-03-15 11:19:41Z jim $, Last updated $Date: 2005-03-04 00:07:46 +0000 (Fri, 04 Mar 2005) $
This is probably what you are desperate to know. The good news is, most stuff I have tried I have got working. Much of the rest I am working on.
| Hardware Components | Status Under Linux | Notes |
| Pentium-M processor, 1.1 GHz | Works | |
| SpeedStep | Works | Kernel options CONFIG_X86_SPEEDSTEP_CENTRINO and CONFIG_X86_SPEEDSTEP_CENTRINO_ACPI. |
| 10.6" WXGA (1280x768) X-Black LCD | Works | |
| Intel 855GME integrated graphics chip | Works | Util required to get full resolution. Dual head output works under X.org. |
| Touchpad | Works | Use standard PS2 mouse driver. Is it possible to get synaptics extensions, like on some other laptops? |
| External video | Works | Requires i855crt or X.org |
| Suspend to disk | Working | |
| Suspend to RAM | Not working | Crashes on resume. May be a kernel patch that helps? |
| Sound | Works | ALSA intel8x0 driver |
| DVD+-RW Drive | Works | Burnt a DVD+RW with growisofs. |
| Intel PRO/100 Network Driver | Works | e100 driver |
| Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG | Works | Uses ipw2200 which is not yet in the stock kernel |
| USB | Works | Can't remember if I used uhci_hcd - mouse worked as soon as I pluged it in. |
| Firewire | Untested | ohci1394 detects controller and seem happy |
| Internal modem | Untested | |
| Bluetooth | Untested | |
| Special buttons | Dodgy | Have yet to get these working - seems that Up volume and Down volume are sending the same keycode. :( |
I burnt a Debian Sarge bootable DVD and chose the kernel 2.6 installation option (type linux26 at the initial prompt). Wired network card was automatically detected and configured. When configuring X, the screen mode 1280x768 is not available as an option - choose a lower resolution for now.
Let the tweaking begin...
These instructions apply to 2.6.10 kernel, which I compiled from source.
To get full screen resolution, you will need to use a small program called 855resolution. Download and compile this program, then as root run
855resolution 5c 1280 768
You can now add the following to the monitor section of your XFree86Config:
Modeline "1280x768" 80.14 1280 1344 1480 1680 768 769 772 795
And then choose this screenmode in the Display section.
You will need to put a call to 855resolution somewhere in your boot process.
To get external video working, use i855crt. Compile this program, copy it to your path, copy the config file to /etc, then execute something like
i855crt swcursor on 1024x768@85and to switch off again
i855crt offThe odd aspect ratio of the screen is a bit of a problem for my LCD monitor.
It requires a reasonable amount of fiddling, but I eventually managed to get a dual-head setup working with Xinerma etc. (Ie, both the internal LCD and an external monitor being driven simultaneously, but independantly, such that windows can be dragged from one screen to another etc.)
I will try to update with more comprehensive instructions, but for now:
Under ALSA use the intel8x0 driver. Note that you need to mute the "External Amplifier" channel to get the laptops speaker to work! This is not done done by default. Run alsamixer, find the "External Amplifier" channel (off the right of the screen) and press "M".
This requires you to install the ipw2200 driver. (Presumably this driver will ultimately find it's way into the kernel.) It is fairly easy to install, and seems to work fine.
Enable SWSUSP in your kernel then use a script to suspend to disk.